Not That Far Away
by SeriousChiz
Summary: Freddie is leaving for college but he and Sam can't deny their feelings any longer. So they decide to date despite the impending moving date on the horizon. SEDDIE. Based on a true story.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Freddie waited nervously outside Ridgeway high school as he waited for Sam. He was surprised to receive her message asking him to meet her after school but never the less he waited a little part of him wanted to know what she wanted, but the rest of him didn't care and just wanted to see her. Sam burst out of the main doors, and glanced around for a few seconds before she noticed Freddie was already there. "Oh there you are," She said.

"Yes because your face is the highlight of my day," Freddie said.

"Watch it Benson!" Sam snapped.

"Hey, don't forget you're the one who asked me wait for you," Freddie snapped back. This shut Sam up; although he was right, she didn't want to be here anymore than she believed Freddie did.

"Your right, look there's something I need to tell you," She said avoiding use of the word 'want'.

"I'm all ears," Freddie said intrigued. Sam stood looking down at her feet not sure what to say. "Sam?" Freddie asked.

"I'm getting to it!" She snapped and Freddie stepped back a little. "I like you," She mumbled quietly.

"What?" Freddie asked.

"I like you," She said louder, "Happy now?" He asked.

"Err," He didn't know how to answer that question.

"Well I told Carly this was a bad idea," She said and began to walk away.

"Sam wait," Freddie said without thinking. Sam stopped in her tracks but she didn't turn round. Freddie brought his hands up to his mouth and breathed slowly. "I like you too," He said opening up his fingers so she could hear him. Sam resisted the urge to turn around.

"What about your girlfriend?" She asked.

"She's great Sam, but she's not you," At this point Freddie had lowered his hands and was starring at the back of Sam's head hoping she would turn round.

"Freddie..." She began.

"Asked me to chose," He ordered.

"I can't,"

"Afraid I'll chose you?" He asked.

"Actually yes," She said turning round to face him. "This may seem strange coming from me but I don't want to hurt your girlfriend,"

"But..."

"Freddie I am a lot of things but I never want to be that girl who swoops in and breaks up a relationship, I'm not my mom," She said.

"So what you're saying is that you don't want me to want you?" He asked.

"Will that help?"

"No,"

"Freddie let this go, I only told you because Carly wouldn't drop it," She said. This seemed to hurt Freddie.

"Ok then, I'll just forget you ever said anything," He said.

"That would be best for us all," She said.

"No that's what's best for you, but I'll do it because it's what you want," Sam smiled lightly and began to walk towards Freddie but he stepped back. "I think I need to be alone," He said. Sam nodded and walked away leaving Freddie to think about what had just happened.


	2. One: Me With You

**Chapter One: Me with You**

_One Year Later_

Sam walked into the kitchen to escape the party that was now in full swing in the other room. Freddie was leaning against the kitchen sink with a plastic cup in his hand. "Fredward since when did you drink?" She asked in shock as she pulled a bottle from the fridge.

"I don't really, just trying it," He said taking a sip from the cup. Sam shook her head and opened her bottle on the counter.

"You sick of the party too?" Sam asked. Freddie shrugged his shoulders,

"I guess, just came out here to think,"

"What you thinking about? How to be less nerdy?" She said smiling.

"Funny," Freddie said with a grin. "Just thinking about Jennette,"

"Oh," Sam said, her she felt a lump in her throat and a knot in her stomach at the mere mention of Freddie's girlfriend. "What about her?" She asked against her better judgement.

"Well it's not so much about her, its more about what would have happened if you didn't reject me last year," He said.

"Hey it's not like you asked me out," Sam snapped defensively.

"You wouldn't let me," He said.

"Oh I'm sorry I thought you were a man, geese sometimes I wonder what Jennette sees in you," She said taking a sip of her drink.

"Oh I don't know maybe the same thing you saw in me,"

"Emphasis on the word saw," She whispered.

"What?"

"Oh nothing," She paused. "Couldn't help but notice you emphasised the past tense in that little statement there,"

"Why wouldn't I? It's not like you still have feelings for me," He said. Sam silently drank from the bottle not making eye contact with him. "Do you?" Freddie asked.

"Pfft, no," She snapped.

"Right," He said quietly.

"Whatever dork I'm gonna rejoin the party, it suddenly became more appealing to be mob by drunken seniors," Sam said walking away from Freddie and back into the living room. Freddie sighed and stepped into the garden. He had decided that tonight was the night, the night that he admitted to her that a year with his seemingly perfect girlfriend had not altered his feelings for Sam. In fact they had grown over the last year which made no sense but it was the way he felt, he was willing to be shot down by her again, he didn't care as long as she knew how she felt.

The party had begun to wind down, only a handful of people remained, Freddie had now rejoined the others in the living room. Feeling a little light headed he sat down in the corner on the sofa. Sam was sat on the other end also a little light headed. "Hey Sam, shouldn't we get going?" Freddie asked. Sam turned to Freddie and grunted,

"Yeah whatever," She turned away from him and looked towards the others, "CARLY!" She yelled. Carly appeared out of the crowd and seemed to be completely sober unlike Sam and Freddie.

"Yeah Sam, what's up?" She asked.

"Fredweird thinks we should go," Sam replied her words slurring slightly.

"Ok, let me just get my stuff," She said and disappeared again. Freddie and Sam leaned back on the sofa in silence until Carly returned. "Ok let's go," Carly said reappearing again. Freddie and Sam slowly pulled themselves off the sofa and followed Carly outside and onto the streets of Seattle.

Once outside Sam and Freddie began to feel different, all most if nothing was holding them back any more. They felt a new sense of freedom. "I can barely walk," Sam said as she struggled to walk in a straight line. Carly shook her head,

"You're drunk aren't you," She said.

"And you're pretty," Sam slurred.

"Urm thank you," She said awkwardly, Carly then turned to Freddie. "Freddie how you doing?"

"Wha?" Freddie asked a little dazed.

"Oh great," Carly muttered. "What's wrong with you two?" She exclaimed. Carly sighed and turned away from her two friends and walked slightly in front. At this point, Sam and Freddie were leaning on each other to steady themselves, Freddie place his arm around Sam's waist and Sam had put her arm on Freddie's shoulder. "I don't know what I'm gonna do with you two," Carly muttered.

"It is kinda funny," Sam said giggling as she and Freddie swayed due to their dual inability to walk straight.

"Oh guys," Carly moaned and walked further in front.

"You know Freddie I never realised how warm you are," She said leaning in to him.

"Oh thanks, you know you're pretty comfortable you know," Freddie said, Sam put up her hood to conceal her bright red cheeks. "Put your hood down Sam,"

"Why?" She asked.

"So I can see your pretty face," He said. Carly rolled her eyes,

"He'll regret that in the morning," She muttered.

"Sssh Fredward my face isn't pretty," Sam moaned.

"Yeah yeah it is. You are very pretty,"

"I thought my face was pretty,"

"Yeah that too," Freddie said.

"Will you two be quiet back there?" Carly ordered. Sam and Freddie turned to each other and tried to hold in their giggles.

"Sorry mom," Sam said giggled quietly in Freddie's ear.

"Go easy on her, Carly's a great friend," Freddie said. Carly shook her head, at this point she had decided to ignore her two friends. The three of them walked through the relatively empty streets of Seattle heading towards the Bushwell apartment complex. Freddie broke the silence as they entered the building, "Sam,"

"Huh, what?" She asked lifting her head from Freddie's shoulder.

"You're great, you know that. I love you," He said.

"Yeah I know, I love you two Fredward, you're not too bad of a friend yourself," When the three of them reached Carly and Freddie's apartments Carly finally turned to face them.

"So are you coming in Sam or are you gonna make out with Freddie?" Carly asked, Sam couldn't help but blush as she pulled Freddie into a hug.

"Ok I'm coming in," She said happily and walked into Carly's apartment.

"Night Freddie," Carly said and walked in after Sam. Freddie waved and walked into his own apartment.

Once he had closed his door, he stood up straight and brushed himself down; Mrs. Benson appeared out of her room. "Have you been drinking?" She asked. Freddie nodded,

"Mom lay off I'm 17,"

"I don't care I won't have you kissing girls in the hall when your drunk," She snapped.

"Mom I'm not drunk I was just attacking it, and I wasn't kissing anyone Sam was just giving me a hug goodnight," He said.

"I never liked that Sam," Mrs. Benson said.

"Mom you hate all my friends," He said and she walked away. Freddie took out his phone and saw he had a missed call and a new message from Jennette he opened the message.

_Miss you x_

He sighed, put his phone in his pocket and headed to his bedroom. It had been a long day.


	3. Two: So Close

**Chapter Two: So Close**

Sam rubbed her eyes as she woke the next morning on Carly sofa. The events of the following evening were a little hazy but her memory as clear enough for her to want to avoid Freddie. Sam sat up and reached for her phone, which sat on the coffee table, no messages to check so she glanced at the time. "11:15 am," She muttered

"Sam you awake?" Carly asked as she came downstairs.

"Yeah just woke up," She replied as Carly emerged from upstairs already dressed.

"Good Freddie's coming over," Carly said.

"Seriously?" Sam asked. Carly chuckled,

"So you do remember last night," She said.

"Why did you stop me? You know what I'm like when I drink too much," She said.

"Sam I didn't know where you were half the night, you spent most of it in the kitchen with Freddie doing god knows what,"

"I don't even know what I was doing half the night!" She exclaimed.

"Well then maybe you should learn to control yourself and not drink everything insight,"

"Yeah yeah whatever," Sam snapped standing up and stretching. The door to Carly's apartment and Freddie walked in,

"Hola Amigos," He said cheerfully as he closed the door behind him. He turned around and he and Sam caught each other's gaze. Having faked his drunken behaviour Freddie could remember every detail about the night before and this may just have been the most awkward moment he had ever experienced. "Sam," He said calmly.

"Fredweird," She replied.

"Is there any need?" He asked.

"Yes I think so,"

"Alright then," Freddie responded.

"Well look at you two all sober," Carly joked as she re entered. Sam and Freddie suddenly turned on her and shot her menacing glances. Carly backed away, "Whoa, was it something I said?" She asked.

"Can you not make jokes?" Freddie asked.

"You remember last night too, good for you. I'm gonna go see if Spencer's up you discuss your wild ride," Carly said a left the room leaving Sam and Freddie alone.

"So last night got pretty weird didn't it," Freddie said awkwardly.

"Yeah, do you remember anything you said?" She asked.

"Yeah... you?" Sam nodded. "We should probably talk about it," He added.

"Why? We were drunk we didn't know what we were saying," She said defensively.

"Yeah, but I meant what I said," Freddie said slowly.

"Oh," Sam said putting her hands in her pockets. She knew what she wanted to say in response to that, but she knew what the repercussions of saying it would be and she wasn't sure if she was prepared for them.

"Sam?"

"Alright stop probing me, I meant what I said too," She snapped.

"Right then there's something I need to do," Freddie said.

"I don't think you'll do it," She said.

"Why not?"

"I just don't think you will,"

"Do you want me to?" He asked.

"I can't answer that,"

"And why not?"

"Because Fredward one answer is a lie and the other makes me sound like a bitch so I'm not going to answer it," She said.

"Ok, I'll ask a different question. Do you want to me with me?" He asked.

"Oh I am not answering that," Sam snapped.

"I'm not ashamed to say, Samantha Puckett I want to be with you," Sam blushed; she turned away from Freddie in an attempt to hide it. Sam had just about plucked up the courage to respond when Carly came back into the room.

"Spencer's awake, now," She said walking in. "Sam are you blushing?" Carly asked noticing Sam's red cheeks Freddie smiled as Sam shook her head in denial.

"No, it's just hot in here," Sam snapped.

"Right, so you guys want some breakfast?" Carly asked.

"I never say no to food," Sam said.

"Nah I'm good, I ate at home," Freddie replied.

"Yeah nobody cares," Sam snapped. Freddie shook his head and followed the girls into the kitchen. He poured himself a glass of water while the Carly prepared breakfast and Sam stood watching her. Sam and Freddie would exchange awkward glances every time Carly couldn't see them; Sam needed to find a way to get Freddie alone so she could tell him how she felt before she chickened out the way she did a year ago. Of course it would have been a lot easier last year because Freddie had only just started dating Jennette where as now they had been together well over a year. His current relationship hadn't had that much of an effect on her this time round. With Freddie leaving for college in a couple of months she had taken a 'now or never' approach and she was going seize her chance to be with him while she could. She looked over at Freddie who was now texting someone, he didn't even need to guess whom it was.

"I gotta go meet Jennette," Freddie said after finally looking up from his phone. Sam's felt a knot in her stomach at the mention of Jennette's name. "Bye guys," He added before he opened the door and left the apartment.

"He and Jennette are so cute together," She said handing Sam a plate.

"Yeah, so cute," Sam said through her teeth.

"Sam you ok?" Carly asked. Sam closed her mouth tightly and just nodded in response. She and Carly ate their breakfast in silence, Sam was afraid that if she spoke she would blurt something out. One they had finished Carly took their plates to the sink and Sam stood up,

"I gotta go," She said as she headed to the door.

"Ok, I'll text you later," Carly said.

"Yeah yeah sure," Sam slammed the door behind her and pulled out her cell phone. She typed a message; _I want to be with you too_ and sent it to Freddie. She sighed and slowly walked down the hallway to the main elevator, it made her feel tingly when she thought about what Freddie was about to do which made her feel horrible when she realised exactly what he was about to do. He was about to break a girls heart for her.

Freddie paced up and down his bedroom, Sam was going to flip out when she goes to school on Monday and finds out that he didn't break up with Jennette. That is a Sam face he's not looking forward to seeing. He was with Jennette when he received the text from Sam that said she wanted to be with him. It made him feel terrible considering what Jennette had just told him. He walked over to his bedside table and picked up his phone. He had one message from Jennette he opened it

_I love you, thanks for today x_

He placed the phone back on the table and fell face first onto his bed. He felt like the worst person in the world. He felt like he was stringing Jennette along and lying to Sam. School was going to be a nightmare on Monday.


	4. Three: Break Your Heart

**Chapter Three: Break your heart**

Freddie nervously walked into Ridgeway High School; he looked around the busy halls making sure neither Jennette nor Sam could sneak up on him. "Hey Freddie," He jumped at the mention of his name; Freddie turned and saw Carly standing in front of her locker. Freddie walked over to her still looking over his shoulder.

"Hey Carly," He said.

"Why you so jumpy?" She asked.

"I'm not jumpy," Freddie said.

"And why do you keep looking over your shoulder?" Carly asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Freddie snapped still keeping a lookout. Carly shook her head and closed her locker door.

"Have you seen Sam?" She asked.

"WHY?" Freddie snapped.

"Whoa, calm down she was just looking for you that's all," She said.

"She was here?"

"Yeah she left about five minutes before you arrived," She replied.

"Right, I gotta go," He said and started to walk away.

"Freddie are you ok?" Carly asked.

"Yeah great," He shouted back as he made his way to his locker. Freddie sighed, he had to find Jennette before Sam did and she found out that they had not broken up otherwise Sam may brake something. He opened his locker and took out a couple of books and for a moment, he forgot that he was on the lookout and he suddenly felt someone behind him.

"Guess who," A female voice said putting her hands on his shoulders.

"Errr, Carly?" He said closing his locker and standing up.

"Oh very funny," She said. Freddie turned round and saw the smiling face of his girlfriend Jennette. "I really appreciate you being there for me yesterday Freddie, it meant a lot to me," She said pulling him into a hug.

"Yeah no problem," He said awkwardly.

"Everything Ok?" She asked. The bell rang as Freddie was about to answer.

"Shoot I gotta get to class, look I need to talk to you later so I'll see you at lunch ok?"

"Yeah, see you at lunch," She kissed him quickly and headed off to her class leaving Freddie alone. He sighed running his hands on the back of his neck, he wasn't looking forward to seeing Jennette at lunch and he hoped that neither he nor Jennette ran into Sam until he could break up with her at lunch. If things went the way he hoped he wouldn't have to suffer the wrath of Sam.

Sam walked into the lunchroom and looked around to find familiar faces. Carly and Jennette were sat at their usual table eating lunch. Sam wondered over, "Hey guys." She said looking at Jennette in an attempt to read her facial expressions.

"Hey Sam, how are you?" Jennette asked happily.

"I'm good, what about you?" Sam replied.

"I'm good too thank you Sam," She said with a smile and continued eating her lunch. Sam looked at Jennette then to Carly. Her hands clenched into a fist and her heart began to pound hard.

"I have to go," She said to the two girls and left the cafeteria. Jennette turned to Carly,

"Did she seem off to you?" She asked.

"Yeah a little, but she's been like that since the party the other night," Carly said.

"Oh well I hope there's nothing too serious going on," Jennette added as she continued to nibble on her lunch. Carly nodded in agreement and the two returned to silence.

Sam had been angry before, she had been very angry at things that in retrospect weren't worth getting angry about. Now she wasn't angry which was a surprise to her and it would be to others if they knew what was going on. As she searched the halls of Ridgeway high school the only thing she felt was a heartbreaking disappointment. She felt like Freddie had led her on and made her believe he was going to end things with Jennette and then decided that he didn't want to be with her he wanted Jennette instead. Part of her felt horrible for hoping he'd broken her heart but it's the way things are. Sam felt stupid for allowing herself to feel something again for someone in a relationship, especially when that person were in a relationship with someone like Jennette. She incorporated all the best things about Sam, in fact some say the two look alike, but without any of the aggressive tomboy personality traits. To most on lookers, she was the perfect girl so how was Sam supposed to compete with that. The more she thought about it and the longer she was left alone unable to find Freddie the angrier she became and after a while, she just wanted to hit something. It seemed oddly appropriate that when she had reached this point she was standing in front of Freddie's locker. She clenched her left hand into a fist and gave the locker a firm blow. The sound of bashing metal echoed through the hall and Sam let out a small-satisfied smile. She then found herself leaning against the locker sliding to the floor.

Freddie walked into the cafeteria, he knew he would find Jennette here sat at her usual table and now was the time to talk to her. He walked over but before he could say a word, "Hey Freddie," Jennette said standing up to hug him.

"Hey Jen," He mumbled. "Hey Carly,"

"Hey Freddie, you just missed Sam again, I swear you two are destined not to find each other," She said. Jennette smiled as she pulled away from Freddie.

"I need to talk to you," He said looking down to her.

"Ok," She said not sure how to take that.

"Let's go outside," He said taking her hand and leading her out of the cafeteria. Jennette followed him outside, the silent walk from the cafeteria to the courtyard made her nervous. She sensed that what he was going to say was not good, at least not for her.

"What's up Freddie?" She asked.

"I don't know how to say this," Freddie said quietly. Jennette leaned against the wall, she could already sense what was coming, and she now tried to prepare herself and to put up a dignified reaction. "I don't think this is working anymore,"

"Oh," She said.

"I'm sorry, I must sound horrible but I just think we should be friends because I just don't see a future for us as a couple anymore," He said. Jennette opened her mouth to argue her case but nothing came out. She rubbed her eyes in an attempt to fight the tears but it seemed that it was a battle she was going to lose. It wasn't long before she gave in and let the tears out,

"Ah don't try," He said.

"I think it's a little late for that," She snapped.

"I'm sorry that was a stupid thing to say,"

"No I'm sorry there was no need to bite your head off,"

"Actually you're well within your right to bite my head off and even hate me," He said. Jennette shook her head.

"I don't hate you,"

"I would," He said quietly. She shook her head again.

"I don't," Freddie pulled her into a hug,

"I am sorry," He said again.

"It's ok," She said quietly whilst sobbing into his chest.

"Do you want me to leave you alone?" He asked. She nodded slowly. He smiled, kissed her forehead apologised again and left her alone.

Freddie walked back into the school with his hands rubbing his face in shame. Although he knew it was the right thing to do he couldn't help but feel awful for breaking Jennette's heart. He didn't have long to think about what just happened as shortly after he entered the hall he heard someone yell his name. "FREDWARD BENSON," A female voice yelled from behind him. Freddie turned on his heel to see the angry face of Sam heading right for him.


	5. Four: Put your arms around someone

**Chapter Four: Put Your Arms Around Someone**

Freddie watched nervously as Sam stormed down the hallways towards him. "FREDDIE!" She yelled again as she reached him.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Oh what's wrong? Why don't you ask your girlfriend," She yelled.

"Well that's gonna be hard to do as I broke up with her," He said.

"What?" Sam asked in confusion.

"I broke up with Jennette," He repeated.

"I just saw her like fifteen minutes ago and she was all happy and cheerful, it made me feel sick," She said.

"Oh well that's nice of you, anyway I literally just left her outside in tears over the breakup that just happened,"

"Wait you left her outside?" She yelled.

"She asked me too," Freddie replied quietly.  
"Well that's all right then," She said awkwardly, "How do you feel?" Sam added.

"Kinda relieved," He replied, Sam's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wouldn't tell people that if I was you," She whispered.

"Sam you don't get it, of course I'm upset and I feel awful for doing that to her but I feel relieved because now I can do this guilt free," He said placing his arm around Sam's waist and pulled her towards him placing his lips softly onto hers. Sam was taken back but she eased up and placed her left arm around his neck. The two of them lost themselves in the kiss and began oblivious to everything around them. They jumped apart as the bell rang for the end of lunch; Sam looked up at Freddie with a hint of red in her cheeks,

"So err I guess I'll see you later," She said.

"Yeah," He said awkwardly and the two went their separate ways. Both glanced back to see if the other was doing the same every few seconds. Sam and Freddie lost sight of each other as the students of Ridgeway filled the hallway.

Later that day Freddie walked across the hall to Carly's apartment. He walked in and found Sam lying on Carly's couch. "Hey,"

"Hey dork," Sam said. Freddie smiled as he walked over and joined her on the couch.

"Carly around?" He asked keep his distance from her just in case.

"Yeah she's upstairs," She replied with a small smirk.

"How long do you think she'll be?" Freddie asked.

"I don't know ten, fifteen minutes," She said her smirk widening.

"Do you think we have err, time?" Freddie asked suggestively.

"I don't know, maybe," She said moving closer to Freddie. Freddie and leaned towards Sam, Sam leaned slightly and their lips met, Sam slipped her arms around Freddie's neck and Freddie's arms fell to Sam's waist. Their passion engulfed and time slipped away as they became lost in each other's embrace.

"What the hell!" Carly exclaimed as she walked downstairs and found her two best friends in an embrace. That was as explicit as Carly's language had ever been before; Sam knew this was not a good sign. "What are you doing?"

"Ok, at your age this shouldn't need explaining," Sam said slightly amused.

"Oh that's funny; you know very well what I meant,"

"Just checking," Sam said.

"Last time I saw you together you were arguing, how did you go from that to this?" Carly asked still worked up.

"Well, you left us arguing yesterday and once we knew you were gone we stopped arguing and started making out," Sam said.

"Oh my god," Carly said running her hands over her face, she turned to Freddie and sighed. "You broke up with Jennette like yesterday," She added.

"Yeah but I've been in love with Sam for a while now," He said. Carly cringed at Freddie's use of the word 'in love'.

"Ok, when did all this happen?" She asked.

"About five minutes about after Freddie dumped the chick," Sam interjected.

"Oh very nice, I take it Jennette has no idea why you really broke up with her," Carly snapped.

"Sam's not the reason I broke up with Jennette," Freddie snapped back.

"Yeah because I believe that,"

"Well you should," Sam snapped. Freddie and Carly looked at Sam in bemusement. "What? You've had doubts about her for months, am I the only person you've said this to?" She asked.

"Yeah kind of," Freddie said, he looked up to Carly who now wore an expression of hurt on her face.

"You've had doubts about your girlfriend for months and you didn't tell me?" The hurt in Carly's voice send shivers down Freddie's back.

"I'm sorry I just didn't feel comfortable talking about it with you,"

"Oh but you feel comfortable talking about it with the other woman," Carly snapped pointing to Sam.

"Sam, surprisingly, gave me honest and unbiased advice," Carly rolled her eyes as Freddie defended Sam. "You're just going to have to accept us as a couple now," Freddie said. Sam nodded her head unsure what to say to Carly to make the situation easier for her to digest.

"What if I can't?" Carly asked.

"You don't have a choice," Carly had expected this to come from Freddie but she instead heard the words come from her best friend. "I'm in love with the dork and that's just the way it is," Freddie rolled his eyes as the mention of him being a dork but remained quiet none the less. "We're together and if you can't handle that then it's going to be difficult for us to be friends," Sam said. Both Freddie and Carly were shocked at this outburst from Sam, Sam was always feisty but this comment seemed so out of character for her.

"Your right, I'm sorry," Carly said quietly. "If you two want to be together then I wouldn't be a very good friend if I didn't support you," She added.

"Thank you," Freddie said. He looked from Sam and to Carly and he knew that it would be a while before things were normal again between the group but this was a good start.

"I just need a minute," Carly said and walked away from the two and headed upstairs. Sam turned to Freddie,

"Well that went well," Sam said. Freddie just smiled and pulled Sam into a hug,

"It could have gone worse," Freddie said.

"True, she could have kicked us out," Sam agreed.

"Well at least it's not iCarly night,"

"Aww you say the sweetest things," Sam said nudging him in the arm playfully.


	6. Five: Generation Love

**Chapter Five: Generation Love**

Weeks past and Carly still hadn't come around to Sam and Freddie's relationship, which worried Sam deeply. She developed theories that ranged from not wanting her friends to be happy to her having feelings for Freddie and wanting him for herself. This plagued her and prevented her from approaching Carly to talk to her. Carly wasn't the only one who provided the couple with a disappointing reaction to their relationship. Their friends had given them surprise, confusion and Sam was convinced some girl now hated her because she was dating Freddie. Not to mention Jennette hadn't spoken to either of them since news got out, in truth, this didn't bother Sam too much but Freddie had hoped to remain friends with her.

Even with everything going on with Carly, this wasn't the worst thing happening at the time. Finals were among them and somehow Freddie had convinced Sam to actually put some work in. Over the last couple of years, her grades had been steadily increasing to the point that a final push in her finals may give her a chance at college. Freddie on the other hand was already in a good position and was already applying to colleges out of state. Sam and Freddie hadn't dared to talk about what would happen to their relationship come next year, as it was so early on, however they had both known what they were getting into getting into a relationship this late in their senior year.

The closer the exams got the more the students looked ahead to the summer months and Sam was no exception. Far too often, she would find herself lacking the motivation to study and drawn to the idea of sun bathing in her garden. It was a beautiful spring afternoon; Sam had studying as much as she could bear without the nagging encouragement of Freddie in her ear to keep her going. She packed away her textbooks, notes, and changed into a pair of short shorts and a bikini top. Sam hadn't been outside long when her phone vibrated. It was a message from Freddie, _Studying hard?_ It read, it was almost as if he knew she had given up. She had two options, she could tell him she had stopped and have him text back all the reasons she should continue. She chose the other option, she text him back and told him; where she was, what she was doing and what she was wearing. Within ten minutes, Freddie has arrived at Sam's house. "Wow," Sam heard Freddie's voice and jumped out of her chair.

"How long have you been standing there?" She asked. Freddie didn't answer; he remained frozen in place starring at her. "Fredward!" She yelled.

"Huh, wha, where?" Freddie snapped out of it, realising what he had been doing he looked up at the sky to avoid eye contact. Sam smiled,

"Who knew my dork was such a pervert," She said playfully.

"Not my fault," He added once again making eye contact.

"I'm in my yard, no one asked you to come over," At this point Sam had returned to her bathing position and Freddie was slowing shuffling towards her.

"If you don't want me here I'll just leave,"

"Fine," Sam replied calmly and without looking at him.

"Ok bye," Freddie began to turn away.

"Fine stay, besides I think we need to talk," She said.

"What you breaking up with me?" He asked.

"No, well depends how this conversation goes," Sam had Freddie intrigued and he pulled up a chair and sat beside her.

"What's on your mind Puckett?" He asked.

"College,"

"What about it," Freddie asked, Sam turned her head and gave him a look that he had seen many times and every time he saw it, he could hear her voice in his head _Why you so stupid?_

"Okay I guess we had to talk about it at some point,"

"Yeah, we can't really ignore the big elephant in the room for much longer,"

"Sam we're outside," He said sarcastically. She shot him the look. "Sorry, so next year. What you think?"

"You're the one leaving for California so you tell me," She said.

"Why is it every time you bring it up it feels like you're mad at me?" He asked.

"It's not that I'm mad, it's that I'm trying to figure out what's worse the fact that you're going to college in another state or that your recently ex-girlfriend is going with you,"

"Guess that's still a bit of a sore point then," He said quietly. Jennette had surprised Freddie with her acceptance letter to UCLA a few weeks before they broke up. This made things a little awkward now they'd split up, to make things worse, at least for Sam was that Jennette still planned to go. Sam was very verbal about being unhappy about this.

"For someone who's supposed to be smart, you're really stupid sometimes," She snapped.

"I know, you never pass up an opportunity to remind me,"

"Can't help it, insulting you is so much fun and I won't get a lot of chances to do it over the next four years,"

"I think I preferred it when we ignored the elephant," Freddie said slouching back in his chair.

"Yeah we had more fun then," They both nodded.

"Hey Sam,"

"Yeah,"

"You wanna go to the Prom with me?" He asked.

"Oh my god Freddie I've always dreamed you'd ask," She said in low monotone voice. "Sure," she added in her usual tone.

"I understand your excitement,"

"You seem pretty thrilled yourself," Sam said with a little laugh.

"I love you Sam,"

"What's not to love," She laughed pointing to herself. Freddie followed her hand gestures as they motioned up and down her body.

"You make a good point," He said.

"I love you," Sam added. Freddie didn't respond. The two of them just looked up at the glaring spring sky in silence, their hands gradually moving away from their chairs and interlocking somewhere in-between.


	7. Six: Never Let Me Down

**Chapter Six: Never Let Me Down**

Just like that, it had all come to an end. Four years of wishing it away, texting in class, gossiping by the lockers, sneaking a kiss while the teachers aren't looking. Four years of mostly hating high schools was about to be replaced by one night of wishing it wouldn't end. The night of the Senior Prom had dawned. The exams had taken a lot of out of Sam, Freddie and Carly and tonight they would cut loose and have fun. Carly still wasn't speaking to Sam and Freddie however and this concerned Freddie. The countdown to graduation was on and in a few short months Freddie would be trading, the rainy nights of Seattle for the sunny days of Los Angeles and he didn't want to leave things with Carly on a sour note. They had been friends for such a long time he couldn't bare losing her because she didn't approve of his girlfriend. When he really thought about it, he couldn't help but wonder what she was really mad about. Sam had her theory of course, but Freddie found it hard to believe that the reason Carly was mad wasn't because she didn't approve of Sam but because it wasn't her. True the two of them had expressed feelings for each other in the past but they had agreed to see how it went and nothing happened. Freddie moved on and he always assumed she had too, he'd never thought for a second that she might still have feelings for him. Instead he paraded by her first with Jennette then with Sam. If Sam's theory was true then Freddie had been a terrible friend to Carly, but then again. How was he to know?

Jennette was once again speaking to Freddie and had seemingly formed a friendship with Carly, Freddie wondered if the reason they were friends was their mutual disapproval of his and Sam's relationship. The news of their relationship had passed and they had become old news, the occasional confused look may be painted on a by passers face but generally their relationship had become accepted. The morning of the prom had arrived, sadly for the students of Ridgeway High they had attend school first. Sam arrived early that day from the way she walked the halls and tapped her locker as waited in front of it, it was clear to anyone that she was excited for the prom. Of course, she would never show this excitement in front of Freddie. She had been in love with Freddie for over a year and during that time she had worked on gradually changing her public attitude towards him and for the most part she had succeeded but for some reason she was still unable to show any excitement radiating from their relationship. This didn't seem to bother Freddie but with him leaving at the end of the summer, she wanted to correct this fundamental flaw in her behaviour before he went off to college and found someone who would be comfortable showing her happiness around him. The thought of this unsettled her, but not just that. The idea of him being in California surrounded by beautiful girls and a dorm full of temptation actually terrified her. This was a concern she was not likely to bring up with him as she trusted him and didn't want to tell him anything to make him doubt that. "Sam Puckett in before the first bell, who'd ever have seen it coming?" Sam smiled to herself before she returned to her cool, calm demeanour as she turned to meet her boyfriend.

"Well I sure didn't, you must be a good influence on me Freddork," She said.

"Aren't you sweet," Freddie said and leaned in to steal a quick kiss. Sam hesitated before she backed away denying him a kiss. Before he could say a word, she interjected,

"No PDA," She said quietly. Since their relationship was made public, Sam had been against public displays of affection. Kissing was a huge no-no especially in the middle of the school hallway.

"Sorry," Freddie said apologetically, "I forget," Sam looked down at her feet. She didn't like being like this with him but now their relationship, as out she had come to the realisation that there was a real chance of losing him and she had already begun pulling away.

"I'm sorry I've been a pain lately, it's just with everything with you and college and Jennette and Carly it just doesn't seem right to parade our relationship around the school," She said looking up.

"Alright I get it, but would slow dancing at the prom count as PDA?" He asked. Sam shrugged her shoulders,

"Maybe I could make an exception," She said. "Anyway I gotta get to 'class'," Sam added putting the word class in quotation marks.

"Alright, I'll see you later," Freddie said and Sam took off in the direction of her first class.

Carly walked into her apartment later that day. The senior prom was that night and she was not looking forward to it. It had been weeks since she had spoken to Sam and Freddie. Never did she imagine that her two best friends coupling up would result in her being left out, on the rare occasion the thought crossed her mind she assumed it would make life a little easier due to the lack of fighting. Carly pushed open the door to her bedroom, dropping her backpack on her bed as she made her way over to her desk and slumped into her chair. Hung up on her wardrobe was her prom dress, a beautiful pink dress, slit side, crystal straps. Simple but classy. Spencer was a little unsure about it after he saw the slit; Carly took a while to convince him that it would fine. She wasn't used to him be parental with her, she kinda liked it. It almost felt like she had a father in the house. Carly's mind had began to drift off into the dreams she had about the senior prom over the years, as she grew older and mature she found that her fantasies would often include Spencer opening the door of their apartment revealing Freddie in a handsome tuxedo coming to escort her to the dance. This was something she never shared with anyone, for a long time she didn't know what it meant and thoughts like it made being around Freddie confusing, she would never let on to how she was feeling. Not to Freddie, who as she believed, would get ahead of himself before she'd have a chance to think for herself. Or to Sam who would, despite never having done before, probably hit her for, as she would no doubt have put it, 'liking a loser'. Now, she wished she spoke up sooner. The fantasy of going to the prom with Freddie had forever been lost and now that he was dating her best friend, he was lost to her completely. After spending so many years keeping his advances at bay, had she missed her chance.

Sam Puckett was perhaps one of the least feminine girls there was, but there was something about going to the Senior Prom with her boyfriend that made her feel tingly and girly. This feeling was very alien to Sam who didn't know how to handle it. She sat at home wrapped in a towel, her blue satin prom dress laid out in front of her on her bed just waiting to be worn. She could her mother downstairs arguing with the cat but Sam had learned by now not to get involved when her mom was acting like a psycho. She knew that Freddie would be arriving in one hour and she knew that he would look handsome in his tuxedo but she felt like something was missing from her senior prom image. The fact that she had not spoken to her best friend for a couple of weeks had not crossed her mind until she was walking home from school and found herself outside Bushwell plaza. Never had she thought she'd have drifted apart from her best friend at such a monumental time in her life. She loved spending time with Freddie but as she looked from her prom dress to the photos around her room, she realised just how much she missed her best friend.

Freddie Benson didn't understand why so many people obsessed about their senior prom. Many people acted as if it was the end of something special and that the best days of their life was over. While he would never say he didn't value his experiences in High school, Freddie felt that the next part of his life would be the greatest years of his life. That the next four years he would spend in Cambridge would be an adventure that he would never forget. He couldn't wait, but one of the things he dreaded the most was how it would affect his current relationships. His friendship with Carly had become almost non-existent over the last few weeks and she lived across the hall. What would happen when he left the state? Then there was Sam, sweet Samantha. What would become of their relationship when they were separated by state lines? Would a long distance relationship work? Or would they both meet more suitable matches for themselves. Time would only answer these questions. Freddie would have to enjoy the only moments of certainty he had left. He stood in front of his mirror, he traditional black tux was almost perfect, he reached into the opened box on his bed and pulled out a blue bow tie and tied it around his neck completed his look. With a slight tug on the tie, he left the room to pick up his date.


	8. Seven: Homeless Heart

**Chapter Seven: Homeless Heart**

With her mother asleep on the couch, Sam was left to open the front door revealing her date Freddie Benson in his finely tailored tuxedo with a beautiful bow tie matching the colour of her dress. She was rendered speechless by the moment and she could only smile, a smile, which Freddie returned. "You look beautiful," Freddie said almost breathlessly as he finally broke the silence between the two.

"You coming in?" She asked motioning her head to the couch that contained her mother's sleeping body. "She's practically comatose," Freddie took a few moments to consider the possibilities. He took a good look at Sam in her dress, he'd never seen anyone look quite so beautiful and he knew he couldn't cross that threshold.

"Nah, we best get going. We don't want to be late," He said coolly.

"Speak for yourself Fredwad," She flashed him a toothy grin as she grabbed her purse and stepped out of the house. "I hate wearing this thing, I feel like a Barbie doll,"

"Sam, you look amazing," Freddie presented his arm, which Sam happily took, and they made their way to the car. Sam had to admit she had come around to wearing the dress, not that she'd ever admit it to Freddie, Carly would be the only person she'd tell something like that to but that just wasn't possible. As they made the way to their transport for the evening Sam had been expecting Freddie's car but what she was greeted with was sleek black limo.

"Freddie what the hell is this?" Freddie was taken aback by Sam's reaction. "Why the hell aren't we taking your car?" Despite Sam's questions, Freddie could only smile.

"Sam, you only go to prom once,"

"No Freddie you go to prom more than once, we went to one last year," She snapped.

"This is senior prom, this is it. The end of an era, let's see it off in style," Freddie opened the door to the limo and motioned for Sam to step inside. Sam looked from Freddie to the limo and back again then, she reluctantly climbed in slowly shaking her head as Freddie joined her.

"I've known you so long yet you still manage to surprise me Benson,"

"Well Puckett I do have my moments," He grinned. Freddie reached into a small iced contained and pulled out a corked bottle.

"What's that?" She asked as he opened the bottle and poured the sparkling contents into two glasses.

"Relax its sparkling water, the driver would never allow us to drink," He continued to grin as he took a sip from his glass. He tapped on the dividing screen and the car roared to life. "Let's go to school," Freddie offered a glass to Sam and they made a toast to one more night at Ridgeway.

Decked out in all its finery, Ridgeway was no longer a school it had become a venue. Limos and classic cars had begun to pull up outside the entrance. Freddie and Sam could have stayed in their limo all night, inside the limo there was no pressure of the senior class to act like a couple. There was no muttering behind Sam's back about how she stole Freddie, no rumours about Carly trying to steal him. Inside the limo, they were just a boy and girl in love spending time together. They knew when the limo pulled up outside the front entrance it was time to get out; Freddie considered asking the driver to take another spin around the block to give them some more time alone. Or some time to prepare but he knew that no amount of time would prepare them for the stares and the judgement when they got out of the limo. Freddie looked over at Sam and she nodded her head reassuringly, something he wasn't used to seeing from the blonde but it was a side of her he could get used to.

Sam couldn't help but feel nostalgic as she and Freddie walked through the hallway, countless moments had been spent in this hall over the years, coming up with some scheme, planning an iCarly bit or torturing Freddie by the lockers. Back then, she'd never have imagined she'd be in the position she was, walking into the senior prom on Freddie Benson's arm. Looking back she could only smile. Freddie was looking back too, he didn't look back on his moments of torture with as much fondness as Sam did but he was just as happy with where he ended up, heading into the prom with Sam Puckett.

As expected Sam and Freddie were greeted with several turning heads when they entered the gym and hushed voices followed them as they went to find a table. As Freddie expected the shock of him and Sam showing up together and the accompanying judgement died down as the night went on as did most high school gossip but he knew it wouldn't be the last time he heard his name slandered that night.

Jennette didn't know what to expect when she showed up at the senior prom. She knew that she would have to see Freddie with Sam and just thinking about it knotted her stomach and she hadn't even entered the gym yet. She made a quiet entrance to the gym, just slipped into the crowd, and desperately searched around for friendly faces. Her heart leaped when she found Carly Shay who like her had been left on the outside of the new Sam and Freddie relationship. Carly spotted Jennette before she'd made her approach and smiled gesturing her over. "Hey Nettie," Carly greeted her warmly.

"Hey Carls, no date either?" She asked.

"Nope, spent so much time arguing with Sam I forgot about the dance to be honest,"

"Must be nice, I haven't had chance to forget about it having Sam and Freddie shoved down my throat at school every day, can't tell you how happy I am schools over,"

"Are you sorted for college?" She asked.

"Yeah, got my confirmation from Caltech this morning,"

"Isn't Freddie going to Caltech?" Carly asked.

"Yeah he is, it's just gonna be something I'll have to deal with," Jennette seemed deflated at the idea of having to face Freddie every day. Jennette was a little disappointed that college wouldn't be the fresh start away from Freddie that it could have been.

Sam had now spent her entire senior prom sat down starring at her date. This was something she enjoyed doing but she needed to get up and mingle with the view members of the senior class that still liked her. "I'm gonna get a drink and see who will talk to me," She muttered to Freddie as she stood up and walked off; Freddie smiled and nodded as she walked off. Finding someone to talk to proved a more difficult experience than Sam had anticipated. It wasn't long before she gave up and went to get a drink. At the punch bowl, she ran into possibly the last person she wanted to see. Her boyfriends, ex-girlfriend Jennette. Sam looked at Jennette with a blank expression, she didn't like this girl but she had no reason to say anything to her, Sam after all was the villain. Jennette was the wounded puppy of the story; she was the one who had her boyfriend stolen by the evil and manipulative Sam Puckett.

"Surprised you had the nerve to come over here," Jennette didn't raise her head when she addressed Sam. Sam was just about to leave when she turned back to Jennette.

"Here's me thinking the punch was for everyone,"

"It's not for thieves," It took everything Jennette had not to sound like a lost child.

"I didn't steal Freddie," Sam made no effort to hide her annoyance, "If anything you were just keeping him warm for me while I came round to the idea," Sam grinned and took a sip of her punch. The next thing she knew her face was wet and Jennette was holding an empty cup up to her face, the gym had fallen silent and for the first time Sam noticed Carly at Jennette's side and finally Jennette had done something that had successfully hurt Sam.

"First you steal my best friend then you ruin my dress,"

"You stole Freddie I steal Carly so we're even. I just didn't like the dress," Jennette wouldn't have known what hit her when Sam lunged for her and the two girls fell to the floor. Jennette's hands went up to guard her face but Sam inflicted no damage as she felt herself being pulled up by the waist.

"What the hell are you doing," Sam spat at who ever picked her up. She paused when she saw that it was Freddie. Freddie looked at Sam for a moment, and then to Sam's surprise he left her and went to Jennette's side.

"You ok?" He asked as he helped her get to her feet.

"I'm fine," She said coldly as she brushed herself off, "Just go worry about your girlfriend," She added before she walked away from Freddie who then turned to Sam.

"Well it's good to finally know where your priorities lie," If Freddie didn't know any better he could have sworn she was tearing up.

"Sam I was just making sure she was ok,"

"Before you checked on me, just thought you'd get me out the way and go check on her,"

"Sam it wasn't like that," Freddie pleaded.

"Save it, go check on your real girlfriend," Sam turned and walked away before Freddie could say another word. He was left in the middle of the gym and as the crowd, dispersed back into their groups Freddie caught the eye of Carly who like him had been left in the middle of the dance floor. Carly could only manage a weak smile before the song changed to something slow and the two just looked at each other.


	9. Eight: Love is on the Way

**Chapter Eight: Love is on the way**

Freddie could only watch helplessly as Sam stormed out of the gym, he couldn't help but notice everyone around him had stopped what they were doing and had turned to stare at him. Now standing beside him was Carly who had also been abandoned during the dramatics. "Let's get out of here," He mumbled as he took her hand and dragged her out of the crowd and towards the door. When the door closed behind them, Freddie let go of Carly's hand and walked off into the empty hallway.

"Are you Ok Freddie?" Carly asked as she walked up behind him. Their voices echoed slightly in the empty hallway. Freddie ran his fingers through his hair and untied his bowtie.

"My girlfriend just walked off, what do you think," He snapped.

"I'm sorry it was a stupid question," Carly bowed her head and turned away from Freddie, she knew that he wasn't angry at her but he had all these emotions built up inside him and she was the only one to take it out on.

"Carly I'm sorry, you're about the only person who hasn't turned on me," He smiled at and Carly felt her insides melt.

"I love you," Carly said quietly. Freddie didn't know what to say, he stopped in his tracks and all he could do was stare at her.

"What are you saying?"

"I think I was pretty clear," She sounded almost annoyed. Freddie continued to stare at her in complete silence. "Are you going to say anything?"

"What do you want me to say Carly? I do have a girlfriend, just because she's stormed off in a huff doesn't change anything, you want me to tell you I love you too? Well I'm in love with Sam you know this," Freddie was so confused. He had waited most of his life for Carly to say these words to him and when they finally came the timing couldn't have been worse. "You're timing couldn't be worse Carly," The truth was he got over her several years ago, when things began to develop with Sam his feelings for Carly took a backseat and remained there until they disappeared completely. At least he thought they'd gone completely, having her confess her love for him made him think. Did he still have feelings for Carly, or was this just a reaction to Sam walking out on him. "I'm sorry Carly I need some time to think," Freddie said and he walked away leaving Carly on the verge of tears.

"You can't just leave me like this," She yelled after him.

"Sure I can, I'm not your date. You dropped a bombshell on me Carls I need to process this," He turned his back on Carly, walked out the front door of the school, and breathed in the cold Seattle air.

Freddie felt lost as he wondered the streets of Seattle. Not wanting to go home he was torn between showing up on Sam's doorstep and fighting for their relationship or going to Carly and handing himself over to every he'd wanted since he met her. He's always considered Carly to be his dream girl when he was growing up but something changed along the way and he began to see Sam in another light and slowly but surely he fell for her despite her being the complete opposite to the kind of girl he pictured himself with. It took him and Sam so long to act on their feelings, Sam was so reluctant and yet here was Carly a lot less reluctant than Sam was, when they had a similar conversation. Freddie hadn't been paying any attention to where he was going or to what time it was, but when he finally looked up and took in his surroundings he noticed that it was almost sunrise and he was standing outside Sam's house. His decision had been made without him even realising. Freddie made his way up the drive and knocked on the door. He'd half expected a half-asleep Sam to come to the door and bite his head off for waking her up at such a stupid hour. He could never have prepared himself for what he actually saw. Sam came to the door still wearing the dress from the prom just as Freddie was still wearing his tuxedo. Unlike him however, Sam's eyes were smudged with black mascara. She'd clearly been crying and Freddie had been the one to cause it.

"What do you want?" She demanded when she saw it was him.

"Carly told me she loved me," He said bluntly not knowing what kind of reaction he was going to get, he prepared for the worst.

"Dare I ask what you said," She asked.

"I not so kindly reminded her that I was madly in love with you," Sam couldn't help but smile at that remark.

"Is that supposed to absolve you of your earlier actions?" She asked. Freddie shook his head.

"I'm not going to stop caring for Jennette because we broke up,"

"It just seemed that in that moment she was your priority and not me,"

"Can we talk about this inside? Its kinda cold out here," Freddie asked. Sam hesitated before she moved aside to let him into the house. "You are my priority; you'll always be my priority. I don't understand how you can think I like her more than you when I left her for you. I love you and I don't know how I can make you get that," He said as Sam closed the door behind him and he slipped off his jacket.

"I'm not like this Freddie; I don't need constant reassurance that my boyfriend likes me, that's not me. You've turned me into this and I hate it. I love you too much that I'm worried you're going to wake up and realise you made a mistake breaking up with Jennette or worse you'll realise you actually still love Carly," This was the first time Sam had really opened up to Freddie about her insecurities and Freddie was shocked.

"I had no idea you felt like that,"

"Well it's your fault that I do and quite frankly I hate you for it, I mean I love you and all but I hate you for turning me into the insecure needy freak," Freddie smiled and he planted his lips and Sam's. Sam smiled as they pulled away.

"How's that for assurance," He smiled. "I love you Sam Puckett, god knows why but I do,"

"God knows why, yeah that's what a girl wants to hear," She smiled. "I love you too Freddie, god knows why," She winked. Freddie laughed quietly and the two embraced.

"We Ok?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah I guess so, I mean you're going to college soon I can't stay mad at you for too long, otherwise I'd silent treatment your ass," She smirked.

"Oh please you can't go silent, you'd have to insult me at some point," The both grinned at each other and hugged again.

"My mom's passed out on the couch again," She motioned upstairs with her eyes, "We could go to my room,"

"Sam Puckett if I didn't know any better I'd think you were propositioning me," He flashed her a toothy grin. Sam shrugged her shoulders,

"Well it is kinda still prom night," She smiled and took his hand and the two of them headed upstairs.


	10. Nine: Stronger

**Chapter Nine: Stronger**

School was out and Sam and Freddie's relationship was going well but no matter how well things went for them the prospect of their impending separation weighted heavy on them. Carly had not spoken to Sam or Freddie since the Senior Prom and Sam wasn't sure she cared all that much. Sam hadn't forgiven Carly for telling Freddie how she felt about him and Freddie was more interested in maintaining his relationship with Sam than trying to salvage a friendship with Carly. As fall drew closer, the idea of going to college became less exciting because he knew what he was leaving behind.

Carly had spent a big part of her summer making plans for the fall. With her two best friends no longer speaking to her she was looking ahead to college and the new life she could make for herself there. The reality of her moving away was slowly creeping up on Spencer and with her leaving day getting closer Spencer became more and more clingy to his sister and Carly was becoming increasingly annoyed by it. Carly's bedroom was now full of cardboard boxes as over the summer months she had slowly began to pack up her life as the day when she would load it all up into Socko's van drew closer.

Freddie's room lay littered with boxes. Most of his days consisted of his mother making ridiculous lists of things he will need for college. There was always something she forgot to think of the previous time and by the time August arrived, he was just about ready to kill her. "I'm not sure how much more of her I can take," Freddie said on the phone to Sam one August afternoon.

"It's just one more month, besides if you spent a little more time with me you might not have to put with her as much," Sam replied.

"You make a good case Puckett; you should be a lawyer,"

"With my criminal record, your funny Benson," She smiled involuntarily knowing he couldn't see it.

"Ok so law schools out of the question but what are you going to do, you didn't apply to any colleges that I know about so what's your plan?" He asked.

"My plan is that I have no plan, I couldn't get into college if I wanted to and to be honest I don't know what I'm gonna do," She admitted with a sigh.

"Sam…" Freddie began.

"Yes Freddie I will think about it deeply but right now the fact that my boyfriend is moving to California is my main concern,"

"What about the fact that you're best friend is also moving to California?" He asked.

"You just had to go remind me that she will be in the same state as you,"

"Don't start that it's not like she planned it,"

"Oh don't sit there and defend her, I find it hard to believe that the thought of being near you didn't factor into her decision and then there's a certain ex-girlfriend who will be at the same college of you, plenty of choice for Freddie Benson isn't there,"

"Sam you're over reacting, you know I'm not interested in Carly I turned her down and I actually broke up with Jennette to be with you. Neither of them is a threat to our relationship and I wish you stop acting as if they were." Sam knew he was right but lately her jealousy had become out of control. Since Carly came out of the woodwork and announced her feelings for Freddie, she felt that her relationship was under attack. No matter how many times Freddie denied having feelings for Carly, Sam had been there all those years when a younger Freddie had wanted nothing more than for Carly to love him back and now he had that. Every day she expected him to turn around and say 'You know what Sam I'm in love with Carly, see ya," Sam hated feeling so insecure.

"I know it's just my imagination but it took us so long to get here I'm just scared something will ruin it," Sam didn't like it when she was forced into situations that revealed her insecurities but lately she felt comfortable enough with Freddie that she could tell him some of the deep dark secrets that she kept locked up.

A few more days passed before Sam finally made the familiar journey over to the Bushwell Plaza. Unlike so many other times, she had visited that building over the last few months she was not there to see Freddie. She spent a brief moment standing in the hallway starring at Freddie's door before she turned on her heel and knocked on Carly's. When she opened the door Carly seemed more surprised to see Sam standing there than Sam was about being there herself. "Sam, what are you doing here?" She asked her usual bubbly personality shining through that made Sam feel sick to her stomach.

"Don't get your hopes up I'm not here for an iCarly reunion show," She said leaning against the doorframe.

"Fine, why are you here?" Carly asked again.

"You told Freddie you were in love with him, why?"

"Because I am,"

"What were you hoping to get out of it? Did you want Freddie to ditch mean and coming running into your arms," Sam asked.

"Well I wouldn't want him to do something as feminine as run into my arms but yeah something like that," Carly said her bubbly demeanour turning into a smug attitude.

"So how'd that work out for you?" Sam asked with a small smirk on her lips.

"He stayed with you though lord knows why anyone would do that,"

"Maybe I'm just a loveable person,"

"You know you said that to me five years ago and I didn't believe you then, in fact you're even worse now," Carly said.

"That maybe the case but whatever I am now I'm also the girl Freddie is in love with and you, you're the girl who waited too long. What did you always assume Freddie would be there when you were ready to settle?"

"How dare you, I love Freddie," Carly demanded.

"Yes but you really love him or do you suddenly love him because you graduated high school without a boyfriend and your worried the same might happen to you in college,"

"Think what you like but your relationship won't last a week long distance, he'll go off and meet some beautiful, intelligent science girl and fall madly in love with her and you'll meet some street tough with tattoos up and down his arms and go on a crime spree and forget all about each other,"

"Oh I bet you'd love that, then you'd try and steal him from another girl, you missed your chance Carly now it's time to sit back and let Freddie be happy with a girl that actually loves him,"

"Would this be the same girl that used to beat him up?" Sam slapped Carly.

"You know damn well why I was like that; between an absentee father and a wacko mother I didn't know the meaning of affection, violence was all I knew it was how I expressed myself. How dare you throw that in my face." Sam walked out of the doorway and away from Sam; Carly leaned against the doorframe as Sam had before and sighed. That situation had escalated quickly. For a moment, Carly found herself wondering if her friendship with Sam was even salvageable and if she even wanted to save it. When Carly looked up, she saw Freddie standing in his own doorway.

"I think we need to talk," He said.


	11. Ten: Heart of a Child

**Chapter Ten: Heart of a Child**

"I'm all ears," Carly said as she moved out of the doorframe to allow Freddie into her apartment.

"What the hell was all that about?" He demanded as he closed the door behind him.

"Sam feeling insecure about you and her, I feel sorry for her no one should have to feel like that,"

"Oh drop the act Carly, you've got no reason to feel anything towards Sam right now other than resentment and we all know why that is. Face it Carly when you told me you loved me you expected me to confess my love for you, because that's the kind of person you are,"

"What the hell are you talking about, I told you I loved you because we're both going away to college and I don't know when the next time I'll see you," She pleaded.

"Carly we're both in California, we can both drive and we're with spitting distances of each other. If you kept your mouth shut we would have been able to maintain a very healthy friendship," Freddie explained.

"Oh you don't know that for sure,"

"Maybe not but telling me you love me didn't help things, what we're you hoping for a relationship. You clearly don't think we'd be able to maintain a friendship within the same state so what makes you think we'd have a successful relationship?" He asked.

"More reason to try,"

"Carly I've know you the bulk of my life, our friendship was one of the most important things in the world to me, I'd have moved Caltech into Los Angeles if it meant we'd stay friends," Carly could only smile at his comment.

"Freddie that means a lot, why can't we just carry on as we were? It's better than nothing,"

"I can't shake the feeling that you said what you said to be vindictive against Sam. I don't know what's pitted you against each other like this but I can't have to setting out to hurt my girlfriend and then expecting us to still be friends, I know you're not stupid Carly so I don't know why you'd even suggest that,"

"Call it wishful thinking but I still want you in my life," Carly said.

"Look truthfully I wish you and Sam could work things out but as long as you two are at each other's throats like this for me it's you or her and the choice is clear to me." Carly wanted to say something else but the lump in her throat wouldn't allow her and so Freddie made his way over to the door and with nothing to stop him he left slamming the door behind him.

Sam wished she could go back to a time when she and Carly were friends, but too much had happened between them for Sam to see a way back for their friendship. It didn't feel like anything Carly could say would change how Sam felt and Sam couldn't think of anything she could say that would diffuse the tension short of breaking up with Freddie. That wasn't going to happen; the two of them had gone through too much to throw it away at the last minute. After her fight with Carly, all she wanted was to see Freddie but she couldn't stand being in that building another minute so she made her way across the street to the Groovy Smoothie and texted Freddie. _At GS, come meet me xx._ With that she ordered a smoothie and she waited. Freddie finally arrived half an hour later. "What took you so long?" Sam asked as he walked through the door.

"I had a run in with Carly, wanted to calm down before I came to see you,"

"You had a run in with Carly? How exactly?" She asked.

"Well I heard the commotion from you and her arguing so I went outside hoping to catch you as you were leaving instead I got her as she watched you leave. Then we started talking and she kinda got me worked up is all, I didn't want to see you with my emotions flying high like that," Freddie explained.

"Alright I guess I understand, I especially understand how Carly can get you worked up, underneath that happy sweet exterior is a vindictive and bitchy core, who knew,"

"I had my suspicions at times," Freddie said.

"Yeah right,"

"Course I did, why else would you have been friends with her?" He asked.

"I don't know, she kinda balanced me out, kept me calm and she was consistent and dependable, I needed that in my life, but now I have you." She smiled.

"Yep, and I'm going nowhere," He interlocked his fingers with hers and returned her smile. Their cosy moment was soon interrupted by the appearance of T-Bo.

"You gonna buy a smoothie or what?" He yelled at Freddie.

"Yeah sure, get me a Tinkleberry blitz," Freddie replied.

"Okay cool," He turned to leave when he turned round and revealed a stick impaled with muffins. "You wanna buy a muffin?" He asked.

"Get outta here T-Bo," Sam barked. Freddie and Sam turned to each other and smiled. It was just like old times.

For years, Sam had been going to therapy on and off. Ever since she had fallen for Freddie she had gone back to get her anger under control so she could be the kind of girl he would date. Evidently her plan had worked. When things got heated between her and Carly, Sam felt the need for a refresher session in anger management so she returned to her therapist for a one off appointment. She sat in his office starring at him as he read from a clipboard. "Sam, tell me about your relationship with Freddie," He asked as he looked up from his clipboard and made eye contact.

"What's to tell, he makes me happy. Sometimes I feel like a happy little child. Not that I really know how it feels to be a happy child," She said.

"Should we explore that further?" He asked.

"No, we've talked my childhood to death, it sucked let's move on,"

"What would you like to move onto Sam?" He asked.

"How about my backstabbing ex-best friend?" She asked.

"Whatever you like Samantha,"

"She told my boyfriend she had feelings for him, with the intention of stealing him from me. She knows how happy he makes me and she still went and tried to poach him,"

"Do you feel she'd be able to steal him?" He asked.  
"Well yeah, have you seen Carly?"

"So you feel inferior to Carly and that given the chance Freddie would rather be with her. Perhaps that's why you're angry with her, not because she said what she said but because you think she's better than you and that makes you angry."

"Well she's always been more liked, that's just a fact. She's girlier, friendlier, and prettier. She's just a delight to be around, if you're on her good side."

"Sam who are you really mad at here?" He asked.

"Carly," Sam said bluntly.

"Is it Carly, or is it yourself because you feel like you don't measure up to, as you call her your former best friend."

"See this is why I stopped coming to see you, I don't like making progress," Sam snapped. Could her therapist be right? Could she be madder at herself than at Carly, did she really still feel inferior to her former best friend and did she really think Freddie would jump ship the first chance he got. Maybe she did owe Carly an apology, maybe she owed Freddie an apology for not trusting him. Maybe she needed to forgive herself for not being Carly. All she knew was that by the time her hour was up, she had some serious thinking to do.


	12. Eleven: Have to Say Goodbye

**Chapter Eleven: **Have to Say Goodbye

The difference between Sam and Carly was something that had been to Sam her entire life. She was always called too aggressive, too unapproachable and just generally unpleasant next to Carly who was bubbly, beautiful and a delight. Sam only met new people because of Carly, and the new people didn't usually take to her. Freddie was the only person who ever stuck in there to find out what lay just beneath the surface. Sam always knew that he stuck around in the early days because of his crush on Carly but she liked to think that over the years they became genuine friends and what started out as bullying soon became gentle banter between good friends. Sometimes, Sam would take a good look at it, and wonder if she and Freddie had ever truly been friends or if she was just someone she put up with for the sake of being around his true crush. That trail of thought was only ever explored after therapy. Her therapist had a way of making her take a good hard look at her life, generally she could look as close as she wanted and it wouldn't make too much difference, she would see herself as an aggressive slacker with a best friend and a possible friend of convenience. Now, when she examined her life what she saw was frightening. She saw a vulnerable young girl on the brink of starting her life with no plan, a boyfriend she didn't trust with his old crush, a best friend she pushed away out of jealousy. What did she really have? Not much at all.

High school was almost over, college was just around the corner and for the first time Freddie was unsure about his plans. He had wanted to go to Caltech for as long as he could remember but now he felt himself dreading the idea of moving out to California. Carly had always held a similar desire to go to USC, he didn't know why but the image of going had always been embedded in her mind. Freddie had always assumed that by the time they went to college they would be dating, or at the very least she had become more open to the idea and being together in California would be the tipping point. At that point he had never imagined he would in fact end up with Sam who as far as he knew had no college plans and would most likely be staying in Seattle. Freddie didn't want to leave her, but he couldn't not go, not after he had worked so hard for so long to be in his position.

Sam wanted to go with Freddie, it took her so long to admit her feelings about him to herself and then to him. After all it took for the two of them together it seemed wrong that the timing of their relationship and the distance about to be put between them would be their downfall. "It's not fair," Sam muttered as she paced up and down in her room. She picked up her phone and held it in the palm of her hand with Freddie's contact profile on screen. She hit dial, "Freddie we need to talk," She paused for his reply. "Can't say it over the phone, meet me at the Groovy Smoothie," She hung up and flung herself on her bed. She had no idea why she had called this meeting or what she was going to say to him, but she knew they had to talk. Waiting for the end was driving her mad.

Freddie didn't want to go without Sam. He couldn't just ask her to go with him, there was no way he could drag her to California then fob her off while he went to college. After all that time, wanting, waiting, dating Jennette, stealing glances in class, it was unfair that it had to end like this. Freddie's phone began to ring and he fished it out of his pocket. It was Sam, "Hello," he answered. "Talk about what?" He asked with worry in his tone. "Ok, I'll see you there," She hung up. Freddie swallowed hard, Sam wanted to talk and she wanted to talk now. He couldn't begin to imagine what they would say to each other but they did need to talk, neither of them could sit around waiting for his departure and hope for best. Something had to be done, something had to be said, something had to be decided.

Freddie sat nervously at a table in the Groovy smoothie. He nursed his smooth with numb hands as he waited for Sam to arrive. As she walked in he took a good look at her, he took in her beautiful curly blonde hair and piercing eyes and wondered how he ever over looked her. He waved at her and she made her way over. "Hey Freddie," She almost whispered as she sat down. She didn't lean in for a kiss, she had Freddie worried already.

"You sounded so urgent, is everything okay?" He asked.

"Freddie, we've been tip towing around the subject for weeks now but we need to talk about this, your leaving me soon,"

"Why do you have to put it like that, I'm going to college not walking out on you and the kids," He said, he notice the corner of her mouth twitch and that was enough. She wasn't all business.

"We can put it however you want but you are going, come late August you'll be in California and I'll be here," She said.

"It doesn't have to be that way,"

"What do you mean?" She asked raising her eyebrow.

"Come with me," Freddie couldn't believe he had said the words and from the look on Sam's face neither could she.

"What?" She asked dumbstruck.

"Come with me, you don't have any college plans do you and as far as I know no post high school plans at all, come with me to California, enrol at one of the colleges, or even community college or get a job, hell," He chuckled, "lay around in your underwear until I come home whatever, just come with me," Freddie held his breath and waited, he couldn't believe what he had just suggested, Sam was looking back at him with the same tinkle in her eye he assumed Juliet had when Romeo proposed and the smile on her lips that made him fall in love with her in the first place.

"Freddie..." Sam began to say. Freddie reached out and cupped her hand stopping her in her tracks.

"It's crazy, I know that. Just think about it, sleep on it, tell your mom, just take some time," He smiled and she smiled back. Freddie's smile always had a calming effect on Sam and that was a time she needed calming. Freddie got to his feet and slipped on his jacket. "Just think about it," He leant down and kissed her cheek. Sam was left with her fingers tracing the outline of his lips of her cheek for sometime after he left. 'What now Sam Puckett?' She thought to herself. Her phone vibrated in front of her and she read her new message. _I love you, know think. Freddie xx._


End file.
